Pilates for Men is a short
DVD with a 26 minute exercise program aimed especially at men. There's a
5-minute introduction by Alisa Wyatt with a quick mention of the concept of the
powerhouse that's essential to Pilates, as well as some tips for performing the
exercises safely and to maximize their benefit. Then Wyatt proceeds to go
through the program. She is in a large room with a wooden floor, brick walls,
and a few decorations, a tables and a couch around the sides of the room. It
looks like the room with lit with natural light from the windows. She leads
two men, Jon and Adam, through the program. They all have light blue mats,
although it seems that Wyatt has another mat underneath hers. There is no
discussion of what kind of mat is best, and whether it's worth getting a
thicker mat, doubling up, or just using a regular yoga mat. I found that a
regular yoga mat worked fine.

Wyatt talks viewers through the
exercises wearing a wireless microphone. She speaks clearly, and it is easy to
understand her instructions. She has an appealing manner and a confident
soothing voice. The production quality is satisfactory if basic. The camera
moves around from person to person, occasionally cutting to a different
perspective. The DVD user can select from 4 different versions of the program:
5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, or the whole thing. There is rather generic
electronic music playing in the background. There are no other options or extras.

The program is demanding and
viewers who are not already strong in their stomach muscles or arms may have
difficulty with several of the exercises. Wyatt does suggest some
modifications, and one of the men, Adam, demonstrates them. The exercises also
modify themselves for those who are not so strong, since if you don't have the
strength, you will simply not be able to do as many repetitions of the
exercises as Wyatt demonstrates. As you get stronger with practice, the
exercises get easier. Wyatt recommends doing the program 30 times to get its
full benefit.

Where I live in the New York area, Pilates is a form of exercise that seems even more dominated by women than
yoga is. Yet it is clearly a well designed approach to exercise and fitness,
so it is great that this DVD provides men a way to explore Pilates. Since the
only equipment this DVD requires is a mat, it is far more approachable than
other Pilates DVDs that require special mats, balls, or other equipment. I
found Pilates for Men well made and enjoyable.

Christian
Perring, Ph.D., is Academic Chair of the Arts & Humanities
Division and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Dowling College, Long Island. He is also editor of Metapsychology Online Reviews. His main
research is on philosophical issues in medicine, psychiatry and psychology.

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